Campaigners lose school closure vote
COUNCILLORS have defeated a vote of no confidence in the organisation behind the controversial schools reorganisation programme.
Members of Stoke-on-Trent City Council yesterday voted against the motion to terminate Serco’s contract and look again at the £200 million Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.
Serco’s proposals to cut the number of high schools in the city from 17 to 13 have been met with strong opposition since they were announced months ago.
In particular, those associated with Trentham High School do not want to see it and Blurton High School closed and both of them replaced with an academy school.
Hours of discussion and debate were held at a meeting of the full council.
Of the 50 councillors at the meeting, 28 voted against the motion, seven supported it and 15 abstained.
The motion had wanted a commitment made to keep Trentham High School open.
It also asked for consideration to be given to terminating the Serco contract and for the proposed site for a replacement academy for Edensor High School at Park Hall.
Trentham and Hanford councillor Terry Follows, a campaigner for Trentham High School, moved the motion.
He told members: “Failing schools are supposed to be closed for academies, not our best performing ones. If the site is closed, parents will not send their children to Blurton. We cannot allow this closure to happen.”
Two amendments were sought to the motion but were rejected, both with 25 votes for and 26 votes against the amendment in question.
Some members raised concerns that the motion could lead to losing money from the government but councillors Mick Salih and Alan Rigby, who both voted for the motion, said it was time to ‘test the water’.
Mr Salih said: “If this government won’t actually give £230 million to this city, let them come out and say it.”
Mr Rigby said: “Everything points to the fact that Trentham High School should be kept open. I think the time has come to test the water.”
However, Councillor Jean Bowers said the sites where children are educated were irrelevant.
She said: “The Children Act clearly states that every child matters.
“It does not state that every building matters and that to me is the difference.
“Our education, whether it is on this site, that site or any other site will be given no less commitment wherever that child is educated.
“I can’t see anything wrong with offering any child better facilities.”
Trentham High School achieved record-breaking GCSE results this summer and became the second-highest performing high school in the Potteries.
But Councillor Roger Ibbs said: “The improvement in terms of Trentham High School has not been in spite of Serco, it has been because of Serco’s involvement.”
Do you think Serco’s contract should be terminated?
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by Nicky Davis, Trentham
Saturday, October 04 2008, 2:15PM
“Richard Partridge, Hereford: Have you had a similar experience there then? I have to say I can understand where the depth of feeling comes from. However I would not condone demonstrating outside the homes of councillors. I think that would probably constitute harrassment to the extent of being on the wrong side of the law. But apart from that I don't think it is morally right. They may have families and will have neighbours who would be unfairly impinged upon. Yes we are being totally unfairly impinged upon by their actions and I am just as disgusted as everyone else with the individuals concerned. But this would be a step too far in my view. This is by no means the end of the story and we will not give up. But there are legal means to continue our fight including through the courts. This will happen if necessary. But meanwhile I agree that we should let certain councillors know it's time to get their coats.
IBBS! IRVING! RESIGN!”
by Andrew Pate, Trentham
Friday, October 03 2008, 10:44PM
“I am disgusted at Roger Ibbs' comment that ¿The improvement in terms of Trentham High School has not been in spite of Serco, it has been because of Serco¿s involvement.¿ It is simply NOT true. SERCO's only involvement in Trentham High was to visit the school the day before a very important OFSTED visit to tell the head and the staff that they planned to close the school. The head and the staff managed (somehow) to shrug off this bombshell to perform so well for the OFSTED inspectors that the school was given a fantastic report on their excellent progress under Mrs Chesterton's leadership. As a teacher myself, I recognise the sheer hard work that all of the staff at Trentham High have put in to turn the school around so dramatically. It is an unsult to those hardworking teachers and pupils that Roger Ibbs should try to give credit to SERCO for doing absolutely NOTHING. I challenge Roger Ibbs to provide any evidence that SERCO has helped to improve results in Trentham High. Yet again our councillors prove that they do not know what is going on in our schools.”
by Steve, Trentham
Friday, October 03 2008, 7:53PM
“I believe that that Stoke on Trent city council, the executive and our elected mayor are all fine upstanding individuals and that we should all rest easy that they will do what is best for our city”
by Steve Martin, Trentham
Friday, October 03 2008, 7:38PM
“The council meeting yesterday was a farce. You're right Barry. We need to let our councillors get on with making decisions which they are empowered to make, I.E gardening contracts for the parks, overtime allowance for gritting and concentrate our efforts on the people who can affect our childrens future, that is central government. Re poshenders, get real mate the real poshenders aren't bothered about community schools, don't listen to the rhetoric the people fighting to keep Trentham open are working class people”
by steve martin, trentham
Friday, October 03 2008, 7:27PM
“In reply to Barry West mids aka Mark Meredith I went to neck end school and have bothered myself to become a "poshender" The people fighting to keep Trentham High school open are not snobs, quite the opposite they are all working class people, the "snobs" in our community as in all communities aren't particularly bothered about Trentham High, their kids get access to entrance papers for selective schools and or private schools £££. Wake up Barry Sue Chesterton pulled Brownhills school, West Midlands, around on £75,000 with no acadamy.
You stick to your community and don't mess with things you can't start to comprehend or alternatively look at the facts and join us.”